Social Support Team, Food Bank
Ilene Page, Prakathesh Rabeenthira, Shivana Sankar
Nominator Comments:
Delivering the largest program at Scarborough Centre for Healthy Communities, the members of the Social Support team work diligently each day not only to provide access to basic resources like food and clothing, but to build rapport with every individual who comes to the program. They provide support to more than 320 households each week or about 1000 people.
There’s no one-size-fits-all solution at the food bank and many clients struggle with more than the need for food support. The staff work to ensure that there is variety and culturally appropriate food available. They ensure access to numerous resources to meet client needs – whether it’s a referral to the community health centre or informing a parent about the city’s Welcome Policy so they can enroll their children in swimming lessons.
The team has worked diligently to include client’s voices in their work, including client suggestions and solutions to provide the best experience for the clients. This three-person client service team has formed a strong squad founded on honest communication, common goals for the program, respect for one another and care for their clients. Ask them for the secret to their successful team, and they will all tell you: open communication is key.
